This year I did not have to go ‘nutting’ - the nuts came after me. When I went out the door the other day I was pelted by clusters of hazelnuts - talk about truth hitting home! The summer had passed me by and September is upon us! Time to go nuts - hazel, walnuts and sweet chestnuts are all getting ready.

Hazel Diversity

The hazelnut that knocked me out was a most interesting creature - a large, tightly packed fuzzy ball with several nuts hiding in frizzy sheaths almost resembling sweet chestnuts. I had never encountered hazelnuts like that before.

I know and love the common hedge and garden variety (Corylus avellana), whose nuts are forever eluding me - either the squirrels get them first, or the worm does. But this year, I am spending the autumn in the city and that is where I made my first acquaintance with a hazel-tree (Corylus colurna) - quite an elegant tree it is!

The ones guarding my street (occasionally bombarding hapless passers-by) are about 8 - 10 meters high. The nuts are still greenish and I should wait for a couple more weeks. I will know they are ready when I see the squirrels making a run for them.

Regular Hazel (Corylus avellana) is never planted as a street tree, but has its place in the hedge, or as an undergrowth tree of woodlands.

There are many more species and varieties since hazel is extremely prone to hybridisation. Its pollen, scattered by the wind, mixes and mingles easily.

The Hazel Explosion: How Hazel Spread Across Europe

During the mid-Holocene, when the climate became warmer and wetter following the last glacial period, hazel became one of the most prominent trees of northern and central Europe. In fact, some scientists studying plant genetics speak of an 'hazel explosion'.

For Neolithic people at that ime It was an important source of sustenance and they may well have played a significant role in spreading them. Archaeologists have found large caches of ancient hazelnut shells from Scotland and Belgium to areas around the Black Sea, giving us some measure of our ancestors’ appetite for hazelnuts.

Ancient Hazel Lore

Throughout Britain and Europe hazel has long been revered, not just as a source of food, but also for its magical properties. According to ancient plant lore, hazel was one of the preferred woods used to craft magical staffs or wands and was said to be an excellent conductor of energy. Even today it is used to fashion dowsing rods to detect hidden sources of water, energy lines, and even hidden objects. But we are drifting off the subject.

Of Hazel, Mice and Men

In Britain, hazel is a preferred hedge plant. The bendy rods are easy to lay, helping to stabilise the soil. A densely laid hedge also makes a welcome habitat for small birds and rodents with a handy food supply built in.

But not only mice, squirrels and birds appreciate the nuts. Lucky the forager who catches them at just the right moment. Hazelnuts are nutritionally rich, providing protein, minerals, vitamin E and predominantly monounsaturated fats.

Hazelnuts have long been deemed an aphrodisiac food. Whether that is due to their vitamin E content or their highly suggestive shape, especially while they are still tucked into their protective sheathing - who knows. Perhaps that association arose at a time when 'nutting' was a community activity, offering some happy opportunities for sneaking off behind the bushes with a sweetheart. Be that as it may, the reputation is persistent and many still swear by hazelnut's seductive powers.

The Nuts and Bolts of Hazelnut Processing

Hazelnuts are very versatile. Once mature, they can be eaten right off the bush, although cracking the shells is a bit tedious. It is best to collect a bunch and to let them dry for a few days until they can be freed from their sheathing more easily. They still have to be cracked - an activity best done in company.

Hazelnut Cuisine

The nuts are excellent raw and even better when lightly toasted, which also makes it easy to remove the inner skin. This skin is not harmful but slightly bitter and astringent. Once completely dry, they can be ground and used almost like flour, adding a beautiful nutty taste and texture to breads and cookies.

Hazelnuts are available in many different forms: whole, shelled, ground, sliced, crumbled and even as a very tasty and healthy oil. The  lovely nutty flavour makes the oil a delicious choice for salad dressings or even just a flavouring oil. 

Cosmetic Uses

Its relatively light texture and astringent properties also make it useful in some homemade cosmetic preparations.

Caution:

Beware though - some people are allergic to nuts. Those afflicted should avoid hazelnuts in all forms, whether as a cosmetic oil, condiment, or cake.

Conclusion:

What I love best about foraging these cheeky nuts is how it connects me with prehistoric times - hazelnuts as a bridge across the eons, linking me to the ancestors through the simple act of gathering food.